Article dispensing machine



Feb. 24, 1959 I E. H. THOMPSON ARTICLE DISPENSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. '18. 1953 ERNEST H. THOMPSON Feb. 24, 1959 E. H. THOMPSON 2,

- ARTICLE DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18. 1953 y 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvroa:

ERNEST H. THOMPSON 5. 1 11 THOMPSON ARTICLE DISPENSING MACHINE Feb. 24, 1959 Filed Nov. 18. 1953 FIG.3 I?

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E. H. THOMPSON- ARTICLE DEIZSPENSING MACHINE Feb. 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 18. 1953 n oE ,8.

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hQ TIP W III I um I lullfi INVENTOR: ERNEST H. THO MPSON United States Patent I 2,874,872 ARTICLE DISPENSING MACHINE Ernest H. Thompson, Glenview, 111., assignor to Automatic Canteen Company of America, Chicago, 111., a. corporation of Delaware Application November 18, 1953, Serial N0. 392,900 2 Claims. (Cl. 221-112) Thisinvention relates in general to article dispensing machines and is particularly directed to improvements for supporting and dispensing articles in a machine where the articles are stacked therein in a plurality of stacks one behind the other and from which the articles are dispensed successively.

It has been determined that if the stacks could be arranged in a plurality of banks wherein the stacks of each bank are in alignment one behind the other, there would be a considerable saving in space and more articles could be provided for within a given size machine than has been possible heretofore. One problem to be overcome in arranging the stacks in direct alignment one be hind the other is the fact that wrapped articles such as gum, cigarettes and the like tend to adhere to each other when in direct contact, or loose wrappers on adjacent articles may engage each other.

For example, the overlapping edges of the wrapper. of one article may become loosened and engage with the overlapping edge of the wrapper of an adjacent article wherepon the article to be dispensed would not be released from the preceding article in contact therewith.

Another disadvantage arises from the tab or tape thatis used frequently to seal article wrapperswhich is provided with a loose end to be grasped by the user and unwound from the article to remove the wrapper. These loose ends or tabs on such tapes have a tendency to interfere or interlock with the wrapper of a preceding article in contact therewith and again may not be released therefrom when the article is to be dispensed.

-It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide an article dispensing machine which is capable of having arranged therein a greater number of articles and stacks of articles with the same or lesser number of dispensing mechanisms than has heretofore been possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide an'article dispensing machine wherein the stacks of articles in any one bank may be arranged in alignment behind each other and wherein means are provided to prevent the adjacent lowermost articles of the stacks, which are in contact with each other, from adhering to each. other during the dispensing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article dispensing machine wherein a plurality of stacks. of articles in alignment one behind the other may have the lowermost article of each stack dispensed therefrom successively, thereby insuring freshness of product.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an article dispensing machine wherein, means are provided to support a plurality of article stacks aligned one behind the other in different elevations so that when the. lowermost article of one stack contacts the lowermost article. of an adjacent stack during the dispensing operation, the two articles will not interlock with each other, nor will there be any jamming of the articles due to commercial variations in article sizes or thickness.

Patented Feb. 24, 1959 A still further object of the invention is to provide an article dispensing machine wherein a plurality of aligned stacks of articles are supported each behind the other at a different elevtion, and dispensing means are arranged to dispense the lowermost article of each stack in succession by first moving all of the lowermost articles of the stacks into contact with each other and then moving them successively into dispensing position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of the machine embodying the present invention illustrating certain operating parts thereof in exploded perspective;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view along the plane of line 2--2 of Fig. l with a part of the operating mechanism shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing a part of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the machine and looking in the direction of arrows 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane of line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a detail of the ratchet drive mechanism; and

Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive are fragmentary side elevational views of the stacks and dispensing mechanism illustrating the sequence of operations for the dispensing of successive articles therefrom.

cles wrapped in the manner hereinabove described, the

arrangement may be used for any other type of article either wrapped or unwrapped and whether the article he gum, cigarettes, candy or other items capable of being dispensed through a vending machine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the machine is provided with an outer casing of any suitable form which may have a top 1, a front 2, a back 3, side members 4 and a bottom 5. Suitably mounted within this casing may be one or more vertically disposed magai zines generally indicated by the numeral 6.. Each magazine consists of the upright side members 7 and Sand the width of these side members extending from front to rear of the machine will depend upon the number of stacks desired aswell as the size of the articles ineach a 1 11 stack.

m along the rear edges of the i'espectiveside members 7 An inturned flange 9 is provided at the forward edge of the side member 7 and a similar inturned flange 10 is provided along the forward vertical edge of the side member 8. Similar rear flanges 11 and 1 2 are provided and 8. In the particular embodiment illustrated, herein, a pair of channel members 13 and 14 are secured to the side members 7 and 8 at a suitable point between the front and rear edges thereof which channel members are i Q" provided with suitable inturned flanges as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The channel member 13 is provided with the front and rear flanges 15 and 16 respectively,

magazines identified at 19, 20' and 21. In such an arrangement there may be positioned three stacks of articles in direct alignment from front to rear of the machine. If more stacks are desired,-more magazines can be provided" by extending the sidemembers and adding more channels or flanges which will thus divide the main structure into a greater number of magazines.

The side members 7 and 8 extend downwardly beyond the lower ends of the inturned flanges 9 and 10 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. A stack-supporting platform consisting of the laterally spaced-apart sections 22 and 23 is positioned immediately below the magazines and extends from the front to the rear thereof. A support for the platform, which also forms a guide for the drive means, is indicated at 24 and includes the spaced-apart sections 24a and 24b. The sides of these sections are provided with downturned flanges 25 and 26 which are secured to the side members 7 and 8 respectively as a means of fixing the support and platform in place.

The sections 22 and 23 of the platform are formed into a plurality of elevated portions or steps as indicated in.

Figs. 1, 3 and 7 to 12 inclusive by the numerals 27, 28 and 29 respectively. That portion of the platform which has the greatest elevation will be located at that end of the platform from which the article is being dispensed. Since in the present construction the article is to be dispensed rearwardly, then the portion 29 of the platform, which has the greatest elevation, will be located at the rear end of the platform.

The stack-supporting platform also has a portion thereof which extends downwardly at the rear thereof as at 30. This part of the structure cooperates with a downwardly and forwardly extending plate 31 to form a discharge chute for the dispensed articles. When the lowermost article of the rcarmost stack is dispensed, this article is moved rearwardly from the dispensing apparatus whereupon it will drop downwardly into the passage or chute, thereupon becoming available to the operator of the machine at the front thereof.

The steps or elevations 27, 28 and 29 are provided for the purpose of supporting stacks of articles at difierent elevations within the machine and with respect to each other. For example in Figs. 3 and 7 to 12, the front stack 32 is the lowermost. The intermediate stack 33 is elevated with respect to stack 32 because it is supported by the intermediate elevation 28 of the platform. The rearmost stack 34 is elevated still higher than either of the other stacks and is supported in this position at the level of the elevation 29 on the platform.

It isthus clear at this point, then, that the joining or overlapping edges of a wrapper on the lowermost article of one stack will be staggered or out of alignment with respect to the comparable overlapping edges of the wrapper on the lowermost article adjacent thereto. This arrangement will enable a dispensing mechanism to move the lowermost article of the front stack against the lower most article of the intermediate stack which in turn will be moved against the lowermost article of the rear stack for the purpose of dispensing the latter. Since each of the lowermost articles of each stack is positioned at a different elevation than the articles in contact therewith,

"there will be no problem of wrapper engagement between adjacent articles.

Furthermore, this offset relationship between the lower- 7 are less-than they would be if the articles were in direct alignment.

Any suitable type of operating mechanism may be provided for pushing the lowermost articles of the stack rearwardly to dispensing position. One such mechanism,

is illustrated herein as embodying an endless chain. drive having spacedplisher members thereon.

garners y i i Y A front shaft 35 may extend between the sides 7 and 8 of the magazine and a similar shaft 36 may be positioned rearwardly thereof as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. These shafts 35 and 36 have mounted thereon the sprocket wheels 37 and 38 around which is trained a chain driving member 39. A plurality of pusher members are mounted on the driving chain 39 in properly spaced-apart relation depending .upon the over-all depth of'the magazine and the number of stacks supported therein. The upper run of the chain and the pusher members mounted thereon ber has been dispensed, then the next succeeding pusher will be in position to again contact the lowermost articleof the front stack.

In the. present. instancethree such pusher members are illustrated andare identified in the figuresby the numerals Each pusher may be secured :to. or

40, 41 and 42. mounted on the drive chain 39 in any suitable manner, such as by being provided with the flanges 43 and 44' (Figs. 1 and 4) through which the pins of the drive chain may extend. a v

The drive chain 39 may be manually or otherwise driven so as to move the proper distance during each' dispensing operation by any suitable form of drive mech anism. For example, in the present instance there is.

shown a lever arm or operating handle 45 mountedfor free rotation on shaft 46 and which has suitable operatmg connection with the drive chain 39 so that repeatedreciprocation thereof will advance the respective pusher members a predetermined distance.

A coiled torsion spring 47' is also mounted on shaft 46 adjacent the handle 45. At the side. of spring-47 opposite to that on which the handle 45' islocated there is provided a dog. 48 which is also mounted on shaft. 46 for free rotation thereon. The dog 48 has a portion extending rearwardly thereof which terminates. ina lug.

49. This lug 49 extends toward the handle 45. The handle 45 has a lug 50 at its rear end whichfextends towardithe dog 48.

The torsion spring 47 has one end 51 thereof extending rearwardly and in contact with the upper edges of theoverlapping lugs 49 and 50 (see Figs. 1 and 2). The

opposite end 52 of spring 47 extends rearwardly and in contact withthe bottom edges of the overlapping lugs 49 and50. Thus, when. the handle 45 is moved downwardly there will be imparted to the spring 47 and the dog 48 a clockwise rotation as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

The outer lower end of dog 48 .is provided with a recess. 53 adapted to-receive a pin 54 extending outwardly from one arm 55 of a bell crank form of gear segment 56 which isalso mounted on shaft 46 but is secured thereto: so that rotation of member 56 will also rotateshaft .46. The other arm 57 of bell crank 56 is provided" with a plurality of teeth 58 on the upper edge thereof for meshing engagement with teeth on the pinion 59. This pinion 59 is-mounted for free rotation on shaft 35. This wardly against a. pin 66 extending axially through the pinion 59. The opposite endof spring .65. passes below a lateral extension 67 on the pawl 62 whereby this pawl will be urged normally in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

A camming member 68 which is substantially U- shaped and which is provided with a camming arm 69 is also mounted for free rotation on shaft 35 immediately adjacent the pinion 59 and pawl 62. The member 68 is mounted for rotation with pinion 59 by any suitable connecting means. For example, the pin 66 may extend through the pinion 59 and into an opening 70 on the member 68. t i v A ratchet wheel 71 positioned adjacent the camming member 68 is also mounted on shaft 35 but is suitably secured thereto so that 'a rotation of the ratchet wheel 71 will rotate the shaft35. p

The ratchet wheel 71 is provided with a plurality of spaced indentations around the periphery thereof resulting in the projections shown at 72, 73 and 74. These projections cooperate with a lateral extension 75 on the pawl 62 so'that when any one of them is engaged by the projection 75 on the pawl and the pawl moves with the rotation of pinion 59, then the ratchet wheel will rotate through a predetermined arc to cause a similar rotation of the shaft 35. In other words, the projection 75 on the pawl 62 normally rests on the periphery of the ratchet wheel 71. It is maintained in contact therewith by action of the torsion spring 65. It will be clear that a clockwise rotation of shaft 46 resulting from a depression of handle 45 Will impart a counterclockwise rotation of pinion 59, pawl 62, and ratchet wheel 71 provided the projection 75 is in engagement with one of the projections on the periphery of the ratchet wheel. Since the camming member 68 is also secured to pinion 59 it will have imparted thereto a counterclockwise rotationwith pinion 59 when the handle 45 is depressed.

A stop wheel 76 is mounted on shaft 35 adjacent ratchet wheel71 and has a plurality of radial projections 77, 78 and 79 suitably spaced apart around the periphery thereof. This stop wheel 76 is mounted for movement with ratchet wheel 71 by any suitable means such as the connecting pins 80 and 81 whichmay extend through aligned openings in both members 71 and 76. Thus, the stop wheel 76 will rotate throughout the same angle as and simultaneously with the ratchet wheel 71.

A detent or stop member 82 is pivotally mounted on a suitable part of the frame such as the side member 7 and has a radial projection 83 thereon. This detent is normally urged in a clockwise direction so that the projection 83 is urged downwardly by means of a tension spring 84, one end of which is secured to a pin 85 on the frame of the machine and the other end of which is secured to a laterally extending projection 86 on the ber 68 and is adapted to ride along the inner edge of arm 69thereonj Thearrangement is such that a counterclockwise movement of shaft 35 will move arm 69 of the camming member downwardly and will rotate detent 82 by a camming action which will move theprojection 83 from the pathof the projections [on thestop wheel 76. When the camming member 68 is returned to its normal position it will permit the detent 82 to resume its normal position in the path of the projections on the stop wheel 76. t t i Thus far it will be seen that a downward movement of handle 45 will carry with it a clockwise rotation of. the bell cranlggearsegment 56 and will, cause a counterclockwise rotation :of the pinion 59. When this occurs,

the pawl 62will be moved toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and will at the same time impart a counterclockwise rotationto ratchet wheel 71 by reason of the engagement of the lug 75 with one of the projections on. Since the ratchet wheel 71 is.

in any suitable manner such as by providing a stop mem: ber 87 on the frame against which the upper arm 57 of bell crank 56 may abut.

At this point reference is made to Fig. 6 of the drawings which is an elevational view of the ratchet wheel 71. It will be noted that there is a greater angular distance between the projections 72 and 74 than there is between the projections 72 and 73 or between the projections 73 and 74. The reason for this is that the movement of each pusher member during the first action thereof when it initially contacts the lowermost article in the first stack must be greater than subsequent movements thereof when the second and third lowermost articles are being dispensed.

Thi may be made more clear by referring to Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive. For example, Fig. 9 illustrates the lowermost articles in all three stacks before any of these articles has been dispensed. These particular articles are identified by the letters D, E and F. It will also be noted that each of these articles is spaced from each other and the initial pusher member 41 is spaced from the lowermost article D in the front stack. Since the operation of this machine is to have each of the lowermost articles in contact with each other during dispensing operation,

it will be clear that theseclearance spaces must be closed be moved a still further distance in order to dispense article F as shown in Fig. 10.

To dispense article E pusher 41 need move only the width of the article itself or a distance from its position shown in Fig. 10 to its position shown in Fig. 11.

width of the article itself.

At this point, however, the next succeeding lowermost article in each stack will have dropped downwardly to their respective positions shown in Fig. 12, which articles are identified by the letters G, H and I. By this as shown in Fig. 1 and ready for the initial movement of the pusher. The projection 75 on pawl 62 will be in engagement with the projection 72 on the ratchet wheel and a full stroke of the handle downwardly will cause a sufficient rotation of ratchet wheel 71, shaft 35 and a sprocket wheel 37 so as to move the pusher through a sufficient distance not only to close the clearance distance between adjacent articles but also sufficient to dispense the lowermost article of the rear stack. it 1 -When the next projection 73 is thus moved so that ;it will next be contacted by the projection on the.

Like wise, to dispense article D pusher 41 need move only the paw-162 this projection-75 will. have beenreturned' back;

In other words, the second.Istr'oke The remainder of 1 the stroke will then rotate the ratchet wheel 71 to move 1 the pusher to dispense the next article but the ratchet wheel 71 will not move through as great an angle as it did the first time because of this initial lost motion of the pawl 62.

There will also be a predetermined .amount of lost motion for the dispensing of the third article before the pawl will engage. the next projection on the ratchetwheel 71; At the. end of the third stroke, however, and after the handle 45 is returned to its. normal initial position theprojection' 75 on pawl 62 will be in engagement with the projection 72 on the ratchet. Wheel .71 so that the next movement of the operating handle will causerotationof the. ratchet wheel through a complete movement of the. pawl 62. As: stated. above, 'this'movement initially. is sufiicient to .close clearance spaces between. adjacent" articles and to dispense the rearmostarticle.

Thus, when there are three'stacks in: alignment one behind the. other, every third stroke or movement of a pushed will be greater than either of the other two. For this. reason the projections on the ratchet wheel 71 are spaced apartunequal distances.

At the opposite side of the magazine there is a pinion 88 fixed to the opposite. end of the shaft 35 androtates with its shaft as the pusher is being advanced. A detent 89 isassociated with the pinion 88 and acts as a stop member in preventing clockwise rotation of shaft 35 on the return movement of the handle 45. Thisdetent 89 has'teeth thereon normally engaging teeth on the pinion 88 and is mounted for rotative movement at one side of the magazine on a part of the magazine frame by means ofa pin 90. A torsion spring 91 is coiled around the pin 90 and has one end thereof bearing down wardly against a pin 92 also in the frame while the other end of the spring bears downwardly against a pin 93 extending outwardly from the detent 89. This insures normal engagement of the detent 89 with the pinion 88. The relationship is such that a counterclockwise movement of the shaft 35 is permitted during advancement of the pusher but a reverse or clockwise movement of the shaft and pusher is prevented by the interlocking of the teeth on the two members 88 and '89. This arrangement also insures a complete stroke because if the handle 45 is moved downwardly halfway, or any other desired distance short of a complete stroke and then released, it will return to its uppermost position, but no return movement of the pusher will take place.

Since the shaft 35 will not be permitted to have a reverse rotational movement, then the ratchet wheel 71' and stop wheel 76 will also be maintained in the position to which they were moved by such partial movement of the handle. If the handle is then moved downwardly again, the lug 75 on pawl 62 will have 'free movement until it reaches the particular projection on the ratchet wheel 71 in the path thereof at the position in. which it was left at the end of the previous partial movement of the handle. The stroke may thereafter be completed for dispensing an article whereupon the handle may be returned to its normal position and all of the parts connected therewith will also return except the ratchet wheel 71 and stop wheel 76.

A camming member 94 is mounted on shaft 46 for movement therewith and is positioned immediately outside of the pinion 88 and detent 89. A tension spring 95 is secured at one end to the member 94 and at its other end to a stationary part of the machine and normally urges this. camming. member 94 in a counterclockwise direction. Since the member 94 is secured to shaftf 46, this shaft. together. with. the handle-451mm;- other parts associated therewith will alsobe urged. ina.

counterclockwise: direction so that when the handle 45 isreleased at the end of its downward stroke, the spring:

I will-return the handle back to its normalpositionr- The camming member 94 is substantially Ll shaped' and has an arm 96 spaced from the main portion thereof thereof to receive the outer end of shaft 46 and ismain- A pin.

tained in place thereon by means of a collar 99. 100 secures the upper end of link 97 to one'sideof a gate identified generally by the numeral. 101. The gate- 101 includes a pair of spaced flanges 102 and 103: which are pivotally mounted as at 104 and 105 to the sides 7 and 8 of the magazine. These flanges. extend rearwardly' of the magazine and are connected together at their rear ends by a web 106.

A cam follower 107- is mounted. on the link 97 and. is received within the space between the arms of the. can;

ming member 94. This arrangement normally supports the gate 101 in its upper position as shown in: Figs.l, 2 and 3. When, however, an articleis beingdispensed the rotation of the camming member 94 in-a clockwise direction will permit the cam follower 107 and. link 97 to move so that the shaft 46 will traverse the slot 98 in one end of the link 97. The weight of the gate 101 will thereupon move it downwardly for the purpose of preventing more than the one article to be dispensed That is to say, in the absence of this gate it might. bepossible for an operator of the machine 'to move the handle 45 through a complete stroke and then move or jiggle the machine in such a way that an additional article-- might be dispensed. The gate 101 prevents this by being.

lowered and remaining in its lower position until the.

handle 45 is returned to its uppermost position atiwhichtime the camming member 94 moves the cam follower 107' and the link 97, on which it is mounted, upwardly to its normal position. When the gate 101' is thus elevated it will permit the dispensed article to be delivered to the operator of the machine.

Reference willnow be made to Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive which illustrate the sequence of operation when succes sivearticles are dispensed. For convenience in identifying the articles, the lowermost article in the rear stack is identified by the letter A; The lowermost articleof the intermediate stack is identified by the letter B and the lowermost article in the front. stack is identified by the letter C. The other articles in the stacks arelikewise identified by letters as shown in. these figures.-

When the'articles are stacked in their positions shown in Figs. 3 and 7 to 12 inclusive and the handle45 is operated to move the pusher'member. 40 rearwardly,. it

will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 7 wherefit will be noted that the article C has been pushed rearwardly to contact article B which in turn contacts article" A, so that article A will be dispensed from: the bottom of the rearmost stack. This operation is illustrated in Fig.7. Article B which started as the lowermost article of' the intermediate stack will have been moved rearwardlyso that it becomes the lowermost article in therear stack at the time the first article is dispensed. Likewise, the

lowermost article of. the front stack, identified by the letter r C, has been moved so that itnow becomes the lowermostarticle of the intermediate stack.

Fig. 8 illustrates the next operational sequence at the next operation of the handle 45. At this time the pusher member 40 forces article C against article B and atthe end of the stroke article B will be dispensed and article C will then assume the position of the lowermost article in the rear stack.

As soon as article C'moves from the front stack to the intermediate stack the entire front stack drops downwardly so that article D then assumes the position of the lowermost article in that stack. As article C is moved to the lowermost position of the rear stack at the time article B is dispensed, then the intermediate stack will drop downwardly so that the lowermost article therein will be the article identified by the letter E.

The next sequence of operation is illustrated in Fig. 9 where the third time that the handle 45 is operated the third article identified by the letter C will be dispensed. As soon as article C is dispensed then the rear stack will drop downwardly to position the lowermost article therein in a position to be dispensed, this latter article being identified by the letter F.

At this point the next succeeding pusher member 41 will have assumed a position previously occupied by member 40 at the beginning of the sequence about to contact lowermost article D of the front stack. Thus, after the lowermost article of each of the three stacks has been dispensed, there will be three more articles in position to be dispensed in the same manner, these articles being identified by the letters D, E and F. The next operation of the handle will dispense article F from the rear stack by reason of the extra long rearward movement of the pusher member 44 to close the clearance spaces between the pusher and article D, articles D and E and articles E and F, and thereafter to move all three articles rearwardly. This sequence is shown in Fig. 10 at which time article D, having moved to the position of the lowermost article in the intermediate stack, will have permitted the front stack to drop downwardly so that the lowermost article is then identified by the letter I.

Fig. 11 illusrates the next sequence at the next time the handle 45 is operated where article E is dispensed. This article began as the lowermost one of the intermediate stack after which it assumed the lowermost position in the rear stack and is then dispensed.

The next operation will dispense article D as the lowermost article of the rear stack which began as the lowermost article of the front stack and thereafter became the lowermost article of the intermediate stack.

At this point the third pusher member 42 will have assumed a position ready for the dispensing of the next articles in succession.

It is to be noted that at all times the lowermost article of the rear stack is at a greater elevation than the lowermost article of the intermediate stack, and the elevation of the lowermost article of the intermediate stack is greater than the elevation of the lowermost article in the first stack. This offset relationship between the articles which will contact each other during the dispensing operation will prevent the articles from adhering together either because of interlocking of loose overlapping edges of the wrapper or because of loose ends of the sealing strips around the articles.

Furthermore, no jamming of the machine will result because of any variation in article thickness. For example, if article A or B should be somewhat thinner than article C and the stacks were all on the same level, then article C or B would contact the next higher article in the stack and the machine would fail to operate. This failure is obviated in the present machine due to the different levels of the respective stacks.

The arrangement of the parts have been illustrated herein to show that the articles are dispensed successively toward the rear of the machine whereupon they are received by the chute to be moved toward the front of the machine. It will be understood that the arrangement of these parts can be modified or reversed if desired to dispense the articles successively toward the front of the machine, it being merely necessary in such case to reverse the position of the platform and the various levels or elevations formed therein together with the, mo m t. of the chain drive.

The foregoing machine will dispense the lowermost article from each of the stacks in a single bank before proceeding to dispense the next series of lowermost articles therefrom rather than dispensing all of the articles from one stack before dispensing from a succeeding stack. This insures the dispensing of fresh mechandise, since the first in articles will be the first out. Likewise, the mechanism can be simplified from dispensing devices heretofore known because it is necessary to utilize but a single dispensing mechanism for all of the stacks in any one bank. It will also be evident that the number of stacks in a bank may be varied and the number of banks may be altered in any one machine without in any Way departing from the spirit of the invention, it being necessary only that there be an operating handle for each bank of aligned stacks. Since the staggering of the stacks is unnecessary in an arrangement of this kind, a considerably greater number of maga- Zines and of the stacks in the magazines can be pro vided in a much less space thereby also affecting the cost of manufacture.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts from those disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof, provided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An article dispensing machine comprising a horizontally extending elongated supporting platform, said platform having a plurality of portions disposed in stepped relation to each other at progressively higher elevations from one end of said platform to the other, a plurality of magazines, each of said magazines being disposed over a respective one of said portions in position to receive a stack of articles, and thereby dispose said stacks over respective ones of said portions in horizontally spaced aligned relation and at different elevations, a plurality of pusher members movable in the direction of alignment of the stacks, one of said pushers being positioned initially adjacent the lowermost: article of the lowest stack, and ratchet means having unevenly spaced teeth thereon operable to actuate said pushers and to move said one pusher initially a distance sufiicient to move all of the lowermost articles of the stacks into contact with one another plus the depth of a stack in the direction of alignment thereof, whereby the lowermost article of the highest stack will be dispensed, said means being operable thereafter to move said one pusher only a distance equal to said depth of a stack until the lowermost article of the first mentioned stack has been moved to the last mentioned stack and dispensed, whereupon the next succeeding pusher will be brought into position to repeat the cycle.

2. An article dispensing machine as defined in claim 1, and in which said means includes endless drive means extending in the direction of the length of said platform, and manually oscillatable means connected to said drive means for rotating the latter and thereby move said pusher means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,977,543 Casau Oct. 16, 1934 2,277,688 Cattonar et al. Mar. 31, 1942 2,309,008 Pease Jan. 19, 1943 2,311,227 Handley et al. Feb. 16, 1943 2,314,632 Rear Mar. 23, 1943 2,380,093 Wilder July 10, 1945 2,578,545 Haase et al. Dec. ll, 1951 2,693,299 Gross Nov. 2, 1954 2,717,729 Page et al. Sept. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 638,840 Germany Nov. 24, 1936 

